petals

I know, shame on me. Write more…

I think I’m going to be doing alot of friends-only-password-protected entries from now on, as soon as I can figure out how to do it, so comment and/or email me and i’ll send you one back.

By the way, I’m back in town with no plans and so far it’s been a lonely existence. Call, I’m not busy!

What a week.

I’m going tonight to hear Kerry speak in Copley Square- 5ish blocks from where I live. Let’s hope I don’t get lost in an angry mob if he loses this election!

UPDATE: Nope! We left when Bon Jovi was playing acoustic and it started raining. Kerry didn’t even come out to speak, and we only got to see him on TV the next day.

“Let’s go Red Sox” has been roaring outside on again and off again for the past 35 minutes, as people line the street a block away from my window. Really, I like the sox, but everyone needs a new cheer.

In my art history class, we just finished discussing Ancient Roman honorary monuments, and in particular, triumphal arches. The arches are built to honor dead emperors and their victories, and everytime Rome has a victory, there is a procession that passes through all the arches in the city (excuse my reader’s digest, child’s encyclopedia summary). Red Sox fans are so nuts that I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to build a triumphal arch for Ortiz, Damon, and the rest of the Sox. But for now, instead of elaborate monuments and horses and chariots, we’re settling for street lights, screaming mobs, car horns, and tacky floats. At least it’s early in the morning (after people have been partying all night for Halloween weekend, too), so luckily no mass drunken craziness like we’ve been getting. (They’re going berserk out my window now- I guess the procession finally made it down this far… Too bad I’m missing it, but I’m sick, and it’s wet outside. I tried.).

So how about that- I’ve been sick going on a week now. Major suckitude, if you ask me… and during midterm week, no less. I thought it was strep for awhile (fever, headache, sore throat, swollen glands, achiness, but I’m not congested), but I went to the doctor last Tuesday and I tested negative for it- good news, but she couldn’t give me anything. Bah humbug. And I hate being sick more than anything! I’ve been going stir crazy sitting here- I have barely left the dorms at all this past week. Just two flights of stairs up to see Jess seriously winds me, and I’m draggin down on all of our plans to go to Salem for Halloween. I’ve got my costume almost ready, but who knows if I’ll feel well enough to dress up and go out. (My costume is awesome by the way 🙂 I found this bright turquoise prom dress from the 80’s in a resale shop that I’m going to wear with all kinds of crazy stuff). It’s awful being sick, everything is so much harder. Blah blah blah.

At least I slept through most of the rioting that went on during the Red Sox/Yankees games, and during the World Series. That was some crazy stuff! People here are insane. If the Red Sox win, there is dancing in the streets, yelling, car horns.. all of the above. Then you get the idiots who are either A) drunk and stupid or B) stupid anyway and just use the Sox as an excuse to get rowdy… Resulting in vandalism, fights, and broken trees (who breaks a tree?!). After the last Sox/Yanks game, a bunch of guys found a car that had NY plates, and flipped it, not to mention there was a car on fire down the street from my school. Crazy. Yeah, we’re too close to Fenway Park for this kind of stuff. Once the police get down and dirty and get everyone out of the Fenway/Kenmore area, they all spill over into Back Bay, where I live. It’s so wild and crazy for all hours of the night (and my windows face a major street), Jess and I even took a walk down the street and slept on friends’ couches because it’s so noisy. So Red Sox, I love you, but thank you for winning the World Series in a quick and expedited manner. 😉

So, Berklee is still awesome. I’ve been trying to get in with new people, meet new people, play with new people. I love my friends, but I’m not doing much networking hanging out with Singer/Songwriter and MP&E folk… And I kind of started to miss hanging out with hardcore jazz musicians. I’ve just been making a conscious effort to branch out. Still, at the end of the day, I’m with Jess, Rian, Dave, and the rest of the gang. They’re all darlings.

On the other side of things, everyone take a few minutes and go read the Houston Press’ article on Matt, entitled “The Blog Age”. I’m so proud of him, he never ceases to amaze me with all he does… Not to mention I can’t wait to visit San Fransisco!

For now, it’s time to for me to go back to sleep.

GO RED SOX!

6-4 in the bottom of the 12th inning! Longest game in ALCS history- 5 hours straight of baseball! First team down 3-0 in the playoffs to win since the 1918 Cubs!

On the other hand, heck yeah for the ‘Stros winning against the Cardinals… though it would absolutely break my heart if it came down to a ‘Stros/Sox game.

Boston is insane on game nights. People yelling in the streets… they even started a bonfire the last game- burning Yankee paraphernalia. It’s going to be a long night. 😉

Ohh my goodness. We opened all the windows because they turned off our air, and the breeze is bringing in an enticing aroma from the Dunkin’ Donuts across the street. Dunkin’ Donuts here is like Starbucks in Houston: they’re all 40 feet apart. There are 3 that I can think of off the top of my head that are 5 minutes or less walking distance from my dorm. Ohhh… I’m kind of hungry (No! Bad Sarah!). Allie (roomate 1 of 2)’s mother was in today for parent’s weekend, and she was telling me a college story about how they broke down one night and had heads of lettuce in the middle of the night because they were so hungry. She made it sound like a weird and unusual thing, but really, I really wouldn’t mind some lettuce right about now. 😉 It would leave me better off than a donut would.

So, in spite of the INSANE amounts of work I have (transcribe two solos, prepare an oral presentation for art history that’s 20% of my grade, and learn Oleo in 6 keys), this weekend has been an extremely fabulous one…. Becca came to visit me on Friday! I knew that they were coming, but she and Sean had surprised me and came earlier than I had expected. She even found my school herself! (Mind you this is the girl that gives vague directions and reads maps upside down). We went to the grocery store, and Becca, Jackie, and I made some home cooked… drum roll please… MEXICAN FOOD! Jackie’s from upstate New York, so we didn’t really trust her with anything more than the vegetables ;). Ohhhh… it was soooooo good. I think the previous week I had begun to experience TexMex withdrawals. Seriously. So we cooked for everyone (at the time everyone consisted of Jess, Jackie, Becca, Sean, Rian, Dave, and Myself), and had a jolly old time making ourselves a nice big Mexican Mess. As if the night couldn’t get any better, Laurel and Brad show up with Chris and this guy Jay (who, oddly enough, introduces himself to me as Gertrude), and we end the night, of course, what do you expect from music students, singing like idiots. Woo! Dave and I had already had our 80’s dance fest (we even choreographed our own bit to the Talking Head’s “Psycho Killer”), so it was a nice change of pace.

Saturday night was equally awesome. Alas, Becca and Sean had to leave, but Jess’s friend Ben had flown in from Cali. We had an awesome night as we watched SNL (as it has become the weekly ritual), and Laurel (who is also from Houston) went nuts and made all KINDS of dessert. Before we had been watching some weird movie called “Coffee and Cigarettes”, and the whole movie consisted of mini-scenes over just that, coffee and cigarettes… Inclusive of one with 2 guys from the Wu Tang Clan and Bill Murray, one where Cate Blanchette plays both of the characters, and one with Iggy Pop and Tom Waits.

(We take a minute to acknowledge the chili that has just been brought to me. Chili from Wendy’s, what the hell is that?!?)

And it’s been made official. I’m am a resident of Boston… I bought my first shirt today to christen my residence in Boston.

Out of a dorm room window at Northeastern University

In the Prudential Center near where I go to school

After the high strung, high stress night I had last night, I’ve haved quite the ameliorative and uplifting morning.

This morning I had my 9am ensemble, and I was minding my own business, in a practice room warming up. This guy politely knocks on my door, pokes his head in, and asks “I’m sorry to bother you, but are you Sarah Davis?”. My initial response was, no, of course, but then I had to revisit the thought… A couple weeks ago I met a bunch of people who were joking around, calling me Miss Davis (after Miles), and apparently this guy was confused into thinking it was my real name. Ha! We got to talking, and yes, I’m the Sarah he was looking for…. I got invited to play in a big band that he also participates in, and he wanted to introduce himself. I’m just tickled to death that 1) my reputation is beginning to precede myself, and 2) my recognizable title as “trumpet girl” seems to be shifting to the more dignified “Miss Davis”. The name has a nice ring to it, though it sure gives me a lot to live up to.

Then, the unthinkable happened. I’m in my ensemble… And I was complimented by my director. Yes! Remember, this is the Charlie Parker ensemble- the super hard, super awesome group that has been giving me a royal ass kicking (the fact that it’s a 9am ensemble doesn’t help me any). Not only this, but our director, like myself is also a trumpet player (and a fine one at that). Normally our charts will be too fast for me, too high for me, the progressions too complex… And occasionally Mr. Stout will bring in his horn and blow, leaving me awed by his playing but again feeling inadequate as a horn player. I don’t know. Today, it was just there. We played some nice charts, one absolutely beautiful one (that unfortunately enough has never been recorded). Some bebop, some not. And it was all there. My reading was on, my solos were on, and it felt good. After we finished playing Mr. Stout pulled me over and asked if I had been workin on my chops, because he thought I was sounding real good and that there was a noticeable difference in my playing. 🙂 Let’s see if I can keep this up.

My day just gets better.

I played a couple nights ago with my friend Paul, 21, amazing trombonist, from Ohio, who’s opinion I respect very much… and he recorded it. He was listening to it today, and felt compelled to go out of his way to tell me that he loved my playing, thought I had a very unique sound, and, I quote, “You really are on your way to becoming a fantastic influential upcoming trumpet player”. What nicer thing could you say to someone? Talk about a way to make someones day.

It’s just nice, being here. As much as I loved being at HSPVA, I always felt like I was at the lower end of things, at the bottom of the food chain. Always playing catch up, always behind. It was very disheartening at times. Since then I’ve made lots of improvements, and now, though I’m still not on top of things as much as I should be, I’m starting to be recognized. I’m getting calls on occasion, and people are actually wanting to play with me. It’s an extremely nice feeling.

(Waiting for the musician cliche?) I gotta go- I need to practice!

Me: (state of utter dismay) What do i do? I just poured this big bowl of cereal and realized that my roommates’ friends used the last of our spoons!

Rian: Well, the way I see it there are five things you can do.

1) Eat it without the spoon. (Which might not be the best idea as it could be messy)
2) Go across the street to store 24 and buy some plastic spoons
3) Borrow one of our spoons
4) Go door to door looking for spoons. (This could also be bad as A) you would become the crazy girl that asks people for spoons at 1am, or B) you would be the girl that borrowed a spoon and never returned it for unknown reasons)

or

5) Take the existential route and realize that you are in control of everything and imagine a spoon until it materializes into existence.

———————-

Welcome to college life. Who cares about the meaning of life or the ends of the universe. Where are the spoons at all hours of the night? I’ll have to start keeping a stash.

I love this girl.

Everyone meet Jessica. She is the primary in the group of people with whom I spend way too much time.

I never have nothing to do, I never have no one to do it with.

Though I am beginning to sincerely miss Houston, I think I can honestly say that I am genuinely happy here. There are so many amazing musicians, amazing people, and so much amazing music up here. My close friends up here really are some of the most dynamic people that I’ve ever met, and though each one of us almost represents a different extreme, we all compliment each other’s personalities quite nicely. I love it here. I feel like I’m really growing as a person and musician.

Oh, and the music! There is so much in Boston! Everyone comes through here! I saw Ron Carter last night with Mulgrew Miller and Russell Malone, and my passion and love for jazz reached a new record breaking high. It was the most subtle, yet most intense, show that I had ever seen. Listening to Ron Carter play was like being shown the way and the truth. I wanted to cry when I met him afterwards, I was so happy. (Yes, I’m a nerd). Genuine, pure, good music is really a spiritual and emotional experience that brings you up to a new level of life. I could hardly contain myself last night. Ever since I’ve been here in Boston, I’ve only realized more and more how thankful I am that I came here to study music instead of going somewhere else to study business or engineering or what-have-you. If I had done anthing else, I don’t think I could live with myself the rest of my life.

As a sidenote, let me say that Russell Malone is one of the funniest people alive today! We got to hang out with him after the show

I love being here.

(as a sidenote, happy birthday bryn bellomy) 🙂

That John Mayer came to school today.

….and I DIDN’T GET TO GO.

Yeah, so as a result of my ignorance and stupidity, I didn’t have a ticket (which was free for students, by the way) to go to the sold-out John Mayer clinic. My friend, out of the goodness of his heart, even found an extra one for me, but silly me, I didn’t have my phone on me.

Eh, life goes on.

As a side note, school is fabulous! All my classes are wonderful, except for Intro to Music Tech, which just gets worse and worse… luckily I sit next to Brian, one of my friend’s from the summer program, and by far he is the most eccentric, absurd, and amusing people I know. Today in that class the teacher put me on the spot so badly- he noticed I had my horn on me, and made me play for the class. I wasn’t even warmed up… It was okay, I guess. He was doing an example of a MIDI song in Garageband, and recorded me as a live track. All I know is I BETTER be getting extra credit for that.

On the other hand, my lessons have been absolutely fantastic. My teacher (who I had during the summer and absolutely love) is really enthusiastic about having me, and we’re going to be doing some great things- I can’t wait! I might actually get GOOD, who’da thought. 😉 It’s also nice having the last lesson of the day- I’m only supposed to have a half hour, but today he nearly stretched it out to twice the length. Not to mention he’s almost the perfect New Jersey stereotype, haha.

Anywho, I have my first club meeting tonight– with The Groove, the student newspaper. I want to be a photographer- it means cool photos and free concert tickets. 😉

I just spent 106 dollars and 50 cents on tickets to see John Scofield, Greg Osby, Terence Blanchard, and Ron Carter (with Mulgrew Miller), all in the next three weeks.

And, Exhale… Phew. I feel like a crazy person. It will be so worth it.

UPDATE: Jessica and I just got Badly Drawn Boy tickets for November. We’re insane together. It’ll be a blast.

So I had my ensemble this morning…

I know I have high ratings for a first semester student, but… THEY DIDN’T PUT ME A NORMAL, GENERIC ENSEMBLE.

THEY PUT ME IN THE CHARLIE PARKER ENSEMBLE.

So I was already scared walking in, thinking I’m going to get my ass kicked… Then Mr. Stout walks in- “Welcome to the Charlie Parker Ensemble. We’ll be doing a lot of his tunes, a lot of bebop…” I hope no one was looking at me, because I felt like all the blood I had rushed out of my head. I nearly choked. I felt like I was going to faint…. Silly me, I was waiting for him to say “just kidding”… YEAH RIGHT.

Pray for me with everything you’ve got. I’ll need praying, and LOTS of practicing- don’t expect me to resurface until next semester.

Sarah M. Williams
Box SB-475
168 Massachusetts Ave.
Boston, MA 02115

Send me mail with love!

Ratings: 6-6-5-6 (WHOA!)

Monday:
Advanced Brass Reading Lab 3:10-4:00

Tuesday:
NOTHING

Wednesday:
Harmony 3 9:10-10:00
Ear Training 3 11:10-12:00
History of Art 4:10-6:00

Thursday:
Advanced Small Band Ensemble 9:10-11:00
Arranging 1 11:10-1:00
Advanced Brass Improvisation 4:10-5:00

Friday:
Harmony 3 9:10-10:00
Ear Training 3 11:10-12:00
Intro to Music Technology 2:10-4:00
History of Art 1 4:10-5:00
Private Lesson with Lin Biviano 5:30-6:00

Coincidentally, we started class today… and I don’t have any classes. 5 classes on Friday?! How did I manage that? And 6 ratings?! (Ratings are out of 8– most first sem kids get 2’s and 3’s. I was expecting 4’s). Now I’m scared– I’m in advanced ensembles, not to mention that I tested out of 2 levels of ear training and harmony, and I’m going to get my butt kicked. We’ll see.

Do not see The Brown Bunny. I repeat, do NOT see The Brown Bunny.

I normally am really into art films, and don’t get me wrong, some of these shots were gorgeous… But oooohhh my gooodnesss. The whole thing is extremely anticlimactic (“oh.. drivin’ around… drivin’ around… talkin to some people… knockin on a door… drivin’ around…”) all to end in a scene almost seemingly tailored just so he could whip his penis out. Even Max (who I believe picked the film) was uncomfortable.

Aside from the film, I had an absolutely splendid night. I love Max and Helene to death, and it was fantastic to see them. I had never talked to Blake in high school, but I’ve always really liked him nonetheless. I got him a rockin birthday card- it’s a blank one, but the picture on the front is a little kid making a scrunchy face with a box of french fries in front of him…. and he has a fry in each of his nostrils and ears. YES! I want to be that kid in the same way that my roomie Allie says she’s always wanted to be a paperclip.

Max, Helene, and Blake ended up being really late, so I sat and chilled out with Jesse (from Houston, he goes to school down the street at the New England Conservatory) and Jessica (from San Diego, a vocalist). I love these two! Jessica is my new favorite person- she and I compliment each others personalities nicely, not to mention she does a fabulous impression of her surfer neighbor who has a porsche SUV (“YEAH, i’m seein the future, and, YEAH *hair toss* I see.. SUVs…DUDEw”). And Jesse is just hilarious! I was being a dork and knocked Jessica’s shoe off, and Jesse, like a gentleman walks over there to pick it up… but instead bends down close to it, points his finger at it, and says very politely “You dropped your shoe!”. Ahahaha. I guess you had to be there.

So guys, this is the first time I’ve been online, the first time I’ve been to college, and the first time I’VE OWNED A MAC. It’s quite nice, I might say, though I have no clue how to use a single thing on it. So this is the good life.

I might start by saying, Boston is awesome. Most of my worst fears have been nulled- my roommates are the most awesome girls ever, my room is NICE, I’m meeting lots of rockin’ people… the only thing left to worry about are the winters. I’m at a friend’s house in Lexington right now- it’s almost noon, and outside it’s already as cold as a november in Houston. I love being the Texan in Boston- everyone wants to try and make fun of me. I spent the night in the guest room last night, and my friend wakes me up this morning banging on the door and yelling “DO YA WANT SOME GRRRRITS!”. Honestly, I think I can say that I’ve never had grits. Or, I have, I just don’t really remember when or what they are. And being from the south, when I introduce myself of course I must do so with an intentionally overexaggerated “I’m from tey-axas.” I’m so cute, I know.

I’ve met other people from Houston at Berklee, but I don’t think they’ll be talking to me anytime soon- I’ve already managed to heavily embarass myself and one other person. I met these guys from Houston briefly on the elevator… It was a fleeting moment, I didn’t really get good looks at them, etc etc.. And one of them comes up to me later and yells “heyyy Houston!”. Of COURSE my mind works slower than my mouth does, and I gave him this puzzled look and asked him if I knew him- I was sincerely confused for that brief moment. Well, I think he was mortified and RAN. Of course I don’t realize who he was until after the fact, so bah humbug. Whatever chance I had of making Houston friends got blown away in the wind. I just hope he realized I was being an idiot and that I wasn’t trying to blow him off.

On the brighter side, I got an email last Wednesday… Apparently I’m one of may six or seven people who’ve been chosen to “represent the entering class”. I was freaking out because they wanted me to turn in 2 tracks of music, a bio, and a photo by that Friday- which isn’t that bad except that the only recordings I have of myself are awful. Luckily, I had met someone on the next floor up who is a sound guy with his own equipment, and Jesse- my guitar player of choice- lives right down the street. *phew* The two of them saved my butt. We hauled all of Ken’s equipment to the practice rooms, and the recording session went real well- we ended up taking the first takes, and It’s a good recording of myself. Hooray.

Tonight will be fun- it’s Blake Williams’ birthday. Blake, Helene, and Max all graduated with me, and now they live in Mission Hill in Boston. After they get back from the beach, Jesse and I are meeting them for a movie. But alas, until next time.

And Elaine, my dear, I have something for you. 😉

I dislike…no, I hate packing. I loathe it. I am having the hardest time figuring out what to bring… I have no clue how to live in yankee winters, I have no clue how much space I’ll have, I have no clue what I’ll be wearing. Do I bring most of my stuff, or do I just bring the bare necessities? Decisions, decisions. I won’t even have a bed to stuff things under– I get a top bunk bed with my desk underneath. I even think I have to share a closet. This’ll be an adventure.

I’m back! And just in time, too- I’m leaving this Saturday for the great state of Massachusetts. I’m so glad everything is up and running now… my China pictures are finally up (and please note that there are more than 21 photos- nested albums), and after a couple weeks of technical difficulty, I am finally back on petals (woo!). Now will my China posts ever make it? We shall see.

See, and y’all guys were just thinking I was a slacker and not posting. 😉

So what’s new… Last night was my first and final Bad Art Night, and though Kathy can honestly say that she didn’t make bad art, there wasn’t much hope for the rest of us. 🙂 Two seats away from the vegan we had someone doing a “butter is good for you” campaign series, and by the end of the night Elaine (who gave me a beautiful photo album) openly stated that my handiwork resembled some kind of a juxtaposition of construction paper and an acid trip. For the books, I have no shame in making bad art. I just hope my sister (the real artist) never sees it. Maybe living in the art-college-hub of Boston a week from today might slight my skill a bit… We can only hope.

As for the rest of the night, Matt, Laura, and I went shopping around for a…. yes…. piercing parlor. Laura got a navel piercing, and I got a conch piercing (before you ask, it’s a part of your ear). I had been wanting to do it for awhile, and I just finally did it. Incidentally, the guy who did my piercing was the guy who did the sunflower art car (cool, eh?). Man, if I could take a ride like that to Boston with me….. 🙂

On the more technical side of things, I’ll be taking some pictures down off of cr.com. Don’t worry, the good ones will stay, but apparently I’m taking up a lot of space on Matt’s server (i’m taking up almost as much space as him with a few thousand less photos- my photos are uncompressed), so I’m going to try to curb that a bit.

Anywho, I’m off to begin the awful adventure that is packing! Moving itself isn’t so bad, just packing. I can’t even pack an overnight bag, and now I have to pack for the next nine months? Ay caramba.